Saint Joseph Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, Scranton, PA, is a local parish of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton.
CELEBRATING 128 YEARS IN SCRANTON in 2025. We are one of the three oldest churches in our Eparchy .
Founded by Lebanese immigrants in the late 1890s, we are a faith community that has withstood many trials and tribulations. Today we continue to witness to the Gospel of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania: concentrated in the Lackawanna Valley. Our faithful parishioners and friends hail from Albany to Philadelphia and areas surrounding.
Patriarchate of Antioch. Catholic but not Roman, Byzantine in Tradition, brothers and sisters of the Orthodox East.
Visit the Eparchy of Newton website at www.Melkite.org for more information!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos September 8
Divine Liturgy Monday 5:30pm at St Joseph, Scranton
___________________________________________
The Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on September 8 each year. The Feast commemorates the birth of the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The birth and early life of the Virgin Mary is not recorded in the Gospels or other books of the New Testament, however this information can be found in a work dating from the second century known as the Book of James or Protevangelion.
According to the story found in this book, Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anna, were childless for many years. They remained faithful to God, but their prayers for a child were unanswered. One day, when Joachim came to the temple to make an offering, he was turned away by the High Priest who chastised him for his lack of children. To hide his shame, Joachim retreated to the hill country to live among the shepherds and their flocks.
As Joachim was praying, his wife Anna was praying at the same time at their house in Jerusalem. An angel appeared to both of them and announced that Anna would have a child whose name would be known throughout the world. Anna promised to offer her child as a gift to the Lord. Joachim returned home, and in due time Anna bore a daughter, Mary.
The icon of the Nativity of the Thetokos presents to us the central figures of Saints Joachim and Anna, Mary’s parents, and the Mother of our Lord as an infant. Saint Anna is in the middle of the icon with her right hand extended toward her daughter. Likewise, Saint Joachim, Mary’s father, is gazing upon the young child with his right hand extended toward her. Anna is surrounded by attendants who have assisted with the birth.
The icon directs attention to Mary as the central figure in this feast. It also acknowledges the joy that was felt by Joachim and Anna as new parents with a child received through a promise from God. The liturgical texts of the feast acknowledge this joy and confirm the special role of Mary as the Mother of the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ. In this event, another step is made in sacred history in preparation for the entrance of Christ into the world.
The icon and the feast also acknowledge a transition from barrenness to life. This was but another foreshadowing of what would be offered through Christ, the transformation from death to eternal life.
Copied from Greek Orthodox Diocese in America website.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR FOOD FEST VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS, DONORS AND PATRONS
See our Food Fest page under the event drop-down tab for a list of sponsors & basket donors
_________________________________________________
_________
Please Pray for our Melkite and Christian brothers and sisters experiencing threats to their lives in the Palestinian conflict.
Also, pray for our Ukrainian brethren and their families in the local Scranton area churches who have relatives fighting the war and others displaced.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bishop Francois asks us to please consider a donation to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
VISIT our new DONATE page through paypal.
See our facebook.com/melkitescranton page for photos & current events
For current events contact church email address at stjosephscranton@gmail.com
See our “ABOUT” tab for: The First 100 years of St. Joseph Church used for our Centennial Celebration Oct. 1997.
